Celiac Pill And New Test

[parker]

I'm interested in the significance of the pill in testing by people more informed than I am about Celiac disease (rather new in our family). Assuming testing proves the efficacy and safety, I wonder how long it would take to get this out in the marketplace?

It's also exciting to me to soon (hopefully!) have a better (less expensive and faster) test available. Both are positive trends:

Open Original Shared Link

New easy test for celiac disease

Italian researchers develop quick and inexpensive test (ANSA) - Palermo, March 27 - Italian researchers have developed an inexpensive and quick test for celiac disease or gluten intolerance, making it easier for doctors to spot sufferers .

The test, which will be patented and distributed by private companies Diagene and Bionat, will take five minutes to run compared to the eight hours in traditional testing, the researchers said .

It involves a DNA study of a patient's saliva, blood and urine samples, giving results in 2.5 hours compared to the two days needed for routine tests used everywhere .

At present, the average patient spends at least 300 euros to be tested for celiac disease. The new test will cost about 70 euros, said Alessio Fasano, a researcher who returned to his native Naples after 13 years at the University of Maryland - the world's top centre on celiac disease. The kit for the DNA test has already been used at a hospital in Messina and the Sick Children's hospital in Palermo, said Sandro Drago, a Palermo researcher who also worked on the project along with Mariarosaria di Pierro .

On Saturday Fasano, who has also been working on a pill able to stop one of the body's proteins letting too much gluten into the intestine, said first tests were extremely positive .

The pill has been tested on 21 sufferers (scientifically called celiacs) in the US, Fasano told a meeting of the Italian Celiac Association in Turin .

He said another batch of American volunteers will take the pill in July but massive tests, involving tens of thousands of celiacs in Italy and the US will be needed, taking at least a year .

The pill will enable celiacs to indulge in all the foods they have been denied all their lives: bread, pasta, biscuits, cereals, cured meats, beer, whisky, vodka and gin which all contain wheatgerm, barley or malt .

Some 55,000 Italians are gluten-intolerant while more than half a million suffer from the condition without being aware of it. There are millions more sufferers worldwide .

A celiac spends an estimated 2,000 euros a year on gluten-free foods - despite the recent creation of special restaurants and ice-cream parlours, thanks to the efforts of the Italian Celiac Association .

Symptoms range from vomiting and diarrhea to the development of osteoporosis and intestinal cancer .

Zonulin is the key protein Fasano has identified .

It regulates intestinal permeability, which is boosted by glutens .

"Zonulin is a sort of key that opens cell doors in the intestinal lining," Fasano says .

"The intestine only has one layer of cells but they form a formidable barrier against external attacks .

"Celiacs lose this protection because they produce too much zonulin. The future pill will inhibit the action of zonulin and keep intestinal defences intact."

Patrick

[Carolita]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[Guest Viola]

Thanks for this Patrick!